While the experts in the previous videos may have different tactics on how to find the decision-maker, it’s clear how important it is to find that person. If not, you may end up wasting precious time that you don’t have.
This is what I’ve done to find the right decision-maker –
1). Do some research. Before making sales calls or following up on inbound requests, I take a few minutes to research the company on LinkedIn, the company’s website or if available through my employer, a lead generating tool.
2). Just ask. Hey, this isn’t the time to be shy. Your income is on the line here. Some questions I ask are –
a). Besides yourself, who else is involved in the decision-making process?
b). Can you explain to me how your company makes these kinds of decisions? Can you go through the process with me?
Once they review the decision-making process with me, I may ask – what role do you play in the decision-making process? If they tell me bluntly that they are the decision-maker, wonderful! If they hem and haw, I will dig further.
3). My gut feeling. Sometimes my gut tells me that my prospect isn’t telling me the complete truth. It happens. I’ve had situations where I discover that the prospect is just doing his own research, and he even hasn’t told his boss what he’s doing. I don’t get angry. Instead, I try to bring him on board as an advocate for my employer’s products or services. I work with him and slowly try to build a consensus with him and others on his team. This is especially true if you are dealing with a large company that has a long sales cycle. You just have to be patient.
4). More than one decision-maker. Contrary to popular belief, these days there may be more than one decision-maker. This is especially true at large companies. While one person may sign on the dotted line (usually someone in finance), it may take several discussions with several key players to reach that point. You just have to be patient.
When it comes to finding the right decision-maker, take your time but be persistent. It will be worth it.
